Court: Ex-cop guilty of harassing disabled man in Limerick

LIMERICK — A former police officer and local business owner was recently found guilty of harassment for confronting a double-amputee and threatening, “I will tear off your arms, too.”

John R. Salkowski, 43, who owns the Dairy Queen in Limerick and is a former Lower Merion police officer, was cited in April with harassment after the incident the morning of April 19 at the Lukoil and Dunkin’ Donuts on North Lewis Road.

Limerick Township police were called to the now-closed Dunkin’ Donuts at the former Lukoil gas station in the 500 block of North Lewis Road shortly before 9 a.m. for a disturbance, according to a police report obtained by The Mercury. When police arrived, only the victim was still on location.

Police learned that a man, later identified as Salkowski, who, in court papers, lists an address in Royersford, was observed yelling at a woman and a child inside the Dunkin’ Donuts, by a female witness. The female told police she did not say anything to Salkowski inside the store, and left. Once outside, she got into her vehicle with her husband, who is a double-amputee, according to the police report. When Salkowski exited the Dunkin’ Donuts, he walked over to the woman and said “What’s your problem? Mind your own f------ business.” The woman’s husband, in response, said “Who do you think you’re talking to,” and Salkowski then said “I will tear off your arms, too.” The victim and his wife told police Salkowski got into a silver Lexus and drove off.

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Police indicated they spoke with Salkowski after the incident and he denied making threatening remarks, according to a police report. Salkowski initially told police it was his ex-wife who was making the disturbance before telling police he was on the phone at the time he walked through the parking lot and the victim and the victim’s wife must have “mistaken his conversation with a friend as a conversation with them.” Salkowski also told police the victim threatened him.

Police said they learned from a Lukoil employee that Salkowski and his wife do a custody exchange at the store and Salkowski “fights every time he comes in.”

Limerick Township police issued a citation to Salkowski for harassment.

Salkowski wrote a letter to District Judge Walter F. Gadzicki asking that the judge recuse himself from the case. “In the past, I have been before you and feel that I was not fairly treated,” Salkowski wrote in the letter dated May 11, 2012. Salkowski was likely referring to a case he had before Gadzicki in 2011 after he was cited for disorderly conduct in Royersford in which he was found guilty.

Gadzicki did write to the Court of Common Pleas in Montgomery County and indicated he was recusing himself in the pending case against Salkowski, and District Judge Edward Kropp Sr. heard the case. On July 17, Kropp found Salkowski guilty of harassment.

However, Salkowski appealed the ruling to the Common Pleas Court.

On Sept. 27, Senior Judge William T. Nicholas found Salkowski guilty and ordered him to pay a $300 fine and court costs. Additionally, the harassment charge will remain on Salkowski’s record.

According to court documents and police reports, the harassment incident in Limerick and the disorderly conduct incident in Royersford, the details of which were not immediately available, are not the only contacts Salkowski has had with police.

In 2007, Salkowski was charged with disorderly conduct after an apparent domestic incident.

Records obtained by The Mercury indicate Salkowski’s ex-wife, the victim, called police in September 2007 to report “ongoing harassment” by Salkowski. The victim told police she and Salkowski were separated and living in different residences through the divorce proceedings. The victim told police she had their young daughter call Salkowski the morning of Sept. 5 to tell him that she had slept in her own bed through the night for the first time.

According to the police report, the phone call “deteriorated when John began to ask questions to (the victim) about who she was sleeping with in her bedroom instead of their daughter.” Additionally, Salkowski began to call the victim a “fat c---” and a “piece of s---” before she finally hung up.

Later that day, the victim was at her place of work, a local realty office, and “initiated a confrontation” with the victim, according to a police report. Salkowski, police said, “parked his vehicle directly in front of the building, blocking a travel lane within the shopping plaza, despite numerous open parking spaces” and entered the business. “Once inside, he bypassed the front desk receptionist ... despite the knowledge that no one is allowed into the office without an escort or an agent’s permission.” Salkowski, police said, went to the victim’s cubical where she was on a phone call and ordered her to “hang up the phone and get off,” which she did.

Police indicate in their report that the victim escorted Salkowski outside of the building where he “began to shout and scream at (the victim) stating she was a “c---” and a “piece of white trash” who he could “punch in the face right now.” He also threatened to kick in the door of her residence. This behavior was witnessed by more than one person in addition to the victim. One witness also heard Salkowski threaten the victim, saying “I’ll get you. I know where you live. I’ll break your door down and I’ll get you.”

When police were notified, they were able to obtain written statements from all parties involved in the incident, including witnesses, “with the notable exception of John Salkowski, who refused to speak with police in reference to this incident,” police noted in the report.

Salkowski, who represents himself as the founder of AchieveSuccessAcademy.com, in addition to being an entrepreneur, author, Realtor, a professional speaker and other things, retired from police work in May 2006 according to his LinkedIn profile.

According to his website, Salkowski is an expert and survivor of post traumatic stress disorder, which he suffered as a fatal shooting in Lower Merion. Salkowski touts himself on his website as an “expert on leadership (and) success,” and a best-selling author,

According to court records, Salkowski fatally shot Erin Dudley Forbes while on duty in Lower Merion Jan. 10, 2000, after, according to court documents, Forbes robbed a convenience store. In September 2002, Forbes’ parents filed a suit against Salkowski and the other police officer who was present during the shooting, “alleging the officers violated” Forbes’ rights.